Out of Range
by AglonAuthor
Summary: The undercover mission was estimated to last a month. But then one week turned into three, then five. A month after SHIELD deploys Captain America and his wife Nightingale, they loose communication and the two heroes fall off the map. The question is: who's going to take care of their son until they return? Or if they return at all? Rated T for future chapters.
1. The Mission

1: The Mission

 **New Avengers fic after my long absence! This ignores Age of Ultron.**

 **Chapter warnings: None**

Nightingale had been with SHIELD for eight years – she trusted the organization, but not completely. She had several reasons to thank SHIELD (saving her life, getting her back up on her feet, and introducing her to her husband) but also a few to disbelieve in it. Although they had saved her life from one of the most dangerous societies to roam the earth – VIPER – they did not save her brother's. She was only twenty at the time and her brother had been twenty-four. Just like her younger sister, he too had superhuman abilities and was being hunted down by VIPER. Nightingale – her real name was Marie Kiehof, but she went by Parker (long story) – was being attacked by VIPER and SHIELD came to her aid. But before they did, her older brother Wesley was protecting her, and by doing so he got himself kidnapped by the organization. SHIELD merely told Parker that it was out of their hands.

And that's when she began working for SHIELD. She never truly forgave them for giving up on her brother, but there wasn't much she could do now – that was eight years ago, and things had changed. She had met the Avengers, or more specifically, she had met Steve Rogers.

Since Parker was an agent, she'd been on her fair share of missions; some missions she went on were undercover missions. So when Fury had told her that her newest mission would take about a month, she had a suspicion it would be undercover. Parker was aching to get back into the field. She hadn't been on a mission in two years – and for a good reason too. Twenty months ago, she and Steve had welcomed a new member into their family: Seth James Rogers. Parker knew she wouldn't be in the field for quite a while the moment she learned she was pregnant. Now, after two years, she was ready for action.

Nightingale and Captain America walked into Fury's office, waiting expectantly for orders to be given. Fury looked up at his desk and the two heroes nodded. "You've got a mission together," he said, "but you already knew that." He stood up and rested his hands on his desk. "We have an 084 in Berlin, but we aren't sure exactly where, and we need you to find it."

"You said this would take a month, sir," said Steve. "I take it that it is an undercover operation."

"You would be correct."

"With all due respect, I haven't been on an undercover mission before," Steve reminded. "I'm not sure if I'm the best man for the job."

Fury gestured to Parker. "That's why I'm sending you with Nightingale." He raised an eyebrow. "That and among other reasons."

Parker couldn't help but crack a smile. "When does the mission begin, sir?" Parker questioned.

"Thursday," he answered. That meant the couple had two days to get a babysitter settled for Seth. "I figured you could use a bit of time to get things figured out."

"Yes, sir," said Steve, "thank you."

Fury nodded. "I'll have your files prepped when you depart. You are dismissed." The superhero couple nodded in recognition and left the room.

As the two of them walked down the hall, they began discussing babysitters. "I think Elizabeth should watch Seth," Parker said. "She's my best friend and she's great with children." Steve nodded, listening. "I'd trust her with Seth for a month."

"Then I guess it's a plan," Cap said with a smile.

"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"

"What do you mean you can't?" Parker asked over the phone, disappointed. She and Steve were back at their apartment that afternoon.

 _"I totally would,"_ said Elizabeth over the phone, _"honestly, I would, but I'm kind of in Kiev."_

"Mission?"

 _"Yep."_

"How long?"

 _"Another week at least,"_ Liz said with an annoyed sigh. _"These kinds of ops can be a bit unpredictable."_

"I'm assuming Lily's with you."

 _"Then your assumption would be correct."_

Parker sighed and rubbed her face with her free hand. "Well," she said, "there goes my backup plan…"

 _"Lily was your backup plan?"_ Elizabeth questioned. _"Yeesh, you are desperate."_

 _"Hey!"_ said a voice in the background. _"I heard that!"_

Parker quirked a smile. She had grown up with Lily and Elizabeth and the three of them were as close as siblings. Elizabeth could fly and shoot hand beams while Lily had super speed and could create and manipulate ice.

Steve was sitting on the couch flipping through a book when the patter of small footsteps could be heard. He looked up and saw Seth toddling towards him. "Hey, Seth," Cap said happily.

"Up!" Seth said, putting his arms out.

Parker looked over her shoulder. "What do you say?" she asked.

Seth looked around at his mother and paused before looking back to Steve. "Pwease?" Steve smiled and picked Seth up, setting him on his lap.

 _"Listen,"_ said Elizabeth, _"I gotta go. I promise I'll make it up to you another time."_

"You don't owe me anything," Parker said through a sigh, "it's fine. Bye."

 _"Bye."_

Parker hung up her phone and set it on the counter. She turned around and walked into the living room. Seth looked up and smiled happily at his mother. "Mama!" he said excitedly, reaching out towards her. Parker couldn't help but smile and succumb to her son's request. She scooped up the child and he held onto her.

Parker sat down on the couch next to Steve. "Well, both Elizabeth and Lily are on a mission and won't be back for another week." Steve hung his head with a sigh. "So who now?"

Steve leaned back into the sofa. "Maybe Mrs. Hupshower…" he said, not entirely sure himself about suggesting their elderly neighbor.

Parker shook her head, bouncing Seth on her knee. "No, I don't think so. Yes, she watches Seth when we go to SHIELD and yes, she's kind and trustworthy, but I think a month is a bit long. Also, I think it should be someone we know well, someone we really trust." The couple was silent for a moment as they thought. Eventually, Parker glanced over at Steve. Cap noticed and glanced over at her. "There really are only a few people we trust…"

Steve bit his lip. "I don't know. Yes, we can trust them, but they have things to do too, I'm sure."

Parker nodded. "Well, we should just check to make sure." She handed Seth off to her husband. "They're the only option we have left at this point."

She went to get her phone from the kitchen and Steve sighed. Seth looked up at his father, his fist in his mouth and his eyes wide in question. Steve put on a smile. "Mommy and I are going to be away for a while. Do you want to stay with the Avengers?"

 **Yeah, a little short, but this is more of an introduction. More is yet to come! And favorites, follows, and reviews fuel me ;) Please tell me what you think. Love it? Hate it? Leaves you begging for more? I'd love to know!**


	2. The Babysitting Squad

div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"2: The Babysitting Squad/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"strongNoodle Fanatic - Sweet :) Thank you! Here's an update for you :D/strong/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"strongChapter Warnings: Babysitters that don't know what the heck they're doing, brief talk of the female anatomy/strong/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"A majority of the Avengers were gathered together at Stark tower – ahem, Avengers tower – and prepared for the time that lay ahead of them. Neither Clint, nor Natasha had any missions for the next five weeks (unless there was an emergency) and Bruce and Tony were already staying at the tower. Thor was in Asgard at the time and they had no way of contacting him./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"When Steve and Parker arrived, the four Avengers greeted the couple. They hadn't seen either of them since Seth was born. After giving some instructions – preferences, allergies and such – Parker and Steve were saying their goodbyes to Seth. Parker was holding her child close, telling him to be good and be polite. The four other Avengers stood awkwardly as Steve also said his goodbyes. Parker put Seth back onto the ground and kissed his head. "Bye-Bye, Seth," she said./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Seth waved his hand. "Bye-Bye," he said back with a small struggle as the words rolled over his young tongue. His parents smiled thankfully at the Avengers once more before stepping into the elevator and leaving, leaving the four, inexperienced adults with the child./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Seth turned around and smiled at the grown-ups. He was a very sociable child, happy to meet new people and easily adapting to new situations. Except for when he was first born – and, of course, he didn't remember that – he had never met the other Avengers before, but was grinning and giggling at them. The superheroes exchanged a few looks then turned back towards the child in front of them. Seth put up his arms and continued smiling, looking at all of them. His grin never faltered while the superheroes continued to stand awkwardly and did not pick him up. Seth bounced up and down, hands still in the air./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"The three male Avengers turned to look at Natasha and the SHIELD agent rolled her eyes. "Oh, I see," she said. "Just because I'm packing a vag, you automatically assume that I know how to take care of a kid." She shook her head. "Typical." Nonetheless, she reached down and picked up the boy. Seth smiled as he clung to her and looked at the others./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Sup…Sup…mm, 'eroes?" Seth asked, trying to say the long word. The few Avengers glanced at each other questioningly before it clicked./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Yep," answered Tony, "we're superheroes, alright! And so are your parents." The others gave him a look and he shrugged./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Know dat," Seth said, as it was the most obvious thing in the world. He looked brightly at Tony. "Puzza?" he asked./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""What? Uh…A puzzle? You wanna do a puzzle?" Seth nodded quickly. Tony wrung his hands. "Well then…um…let's do a puzzle." He glanced down at the bags Steve and Parker had left with them. "There's probably a puzzle in there…"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Seth, get back here!" The stubborn child jumped behind the couch. The archer sighed in frustration and entered the living room. He walked over to the couch and looked behind it. The young boy giggled and tried to run past the adult, but Clint reached out and snatched Seth up as he ran by. "Nope." He began walking back to the kitchen with the child in his arms. The others had abandoned him with Seth, wanting a break. Well he wanted a break too, and was he getting one? No. No he wasn't. 'We'll be back,' they said. 'It won't be long,' they said. They said that three hours ago. One does not need a three hour long break when it comes to babysitting the son of two superheroes./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Well, maybe one would./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"His genius from his mother and his strength from his father, Seth Rogers was quite a handful. Seth's genius was more on the side of understanding and catching on quickly. He couldn't do math or read yet, of course, but he could solve riddles and learn new concepts sooner than any other child his age. Parker already knew that Seth was going to take piano lessons when he was older, just as she had. He loved to "play" the piano (pluck out notes in a nonsense pattern and rhythm) and loved listening to cello pieces. He took after his mother in the musical aspect. At his age it was a little hard to tell which parent he was more like when it came to personality, but by looks he was undoubtedly his father's son. However, he clearly had his mother's nose: small and slightly pointy. No one really knew quite how strong Seth was or if he had gotten any of his mother's powers at all. Parker was born with her telekinesis and telepathy, but neither manifested themselves until she was twelve. As for his strength, Seth had pushed the couch all the way across the living room two weeks ago. He had struggled and strained himself, but he had managed it in under a minute. His parents were a bit concerned. Was that the extent of his power, or did he not use his full strength? Would his strength increase as time went on? No one knew./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"So far it had only been five hours since Steve and Parker had dropped off Seth. And, so far, those past five hours had been chaos./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""No, Seth, put that down!" Seth looked up at Clint with wide eyes. The child was standing by the table, one of Stark's tools in his hand./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Huh?" he asked./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Clint walked over and took it out of his hand. "Knowing Stark, it's probably not safe."/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Nod sharp," Seth insisted./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""It doesn't need to be sharp to be dangerous." Clint set it down on a counter out of Seth's reach./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Where ebby-body?"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""I don't know, but I'm gonna find them and kick their butts." He watched his language. Cap would never let him live if Seth learned a curse word from him./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Why?"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""They left me here."/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Me too," Seth said, walking away from the chair. "Fin' 'em?"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Yes. Yes we will."/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"So off they went. The two of them walked about the tower, searching for the others. They weren't all that hard to find; Stark and Banner in the labs and Natasha in the gun range. And once they did find them, there was no way they were getting out of babysitting again./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"The four Avengers sat in the living room. Seth was lying on his stomach, working on his second puzzle. He was concentrating very hard, working on the middle. His mother had taught him a technique – do the border first since those were the easiest pieces to find. The child paused and stared at the puzzle for a moment. Then Seth got right too it and finished the puzzle in two minutes flat./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"The boy sat and looked at it. "More?" he asked softly./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""More?" Tony wondered. "More what?" Seth pointed insistingly at the puzzle on the floor. "You want another puzzle?" Seth nodded excitedly. "Well, there were only two and you did them already." Seth frowned in disappointment. "But tell you what," Tony said, looking down on the child, "we can get you another puzzle."/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Seth's eyes went wide. "Anodda puzza?" he said, mispronouncing both words./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Tony smirked. "Yep. JARVIS?"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Yes, sir?"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Order three one hundred piece puzzles – and get them here by the end of the day." He looked back at Seth. "What kind if puzzle do you want, kiddo?"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Seth didn't make eye contact and fiddled with his fingers. "Aminal, pwease…" he said./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Make them animal puzzles," Tony added./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""I'm ordering them now, sir," responded the AI. "ETA is five to six hours depending on traffic."/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Thanks, JARVIS," the billionaire said. He looked around to talk to the other Avengers but found himself alone in the living room. "Those sneaky little b–" he almost let a swear slip, but his eyes flickered towards the kid standing in front of him. Seth stared up at Tony innocently and Tony cleared his throat. "Well, we can do some new puzzles tonight. Um, what do you want to do for now?"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Draw?" Seth asked./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Tony shrugged. "Alright. I'm sure there's some paper and pencils somewhere…" He stood up and peered into the next room. While he did so, Seth pulled the babysitting bag over to the couch and was ransacking it. He tossed out a couple of children's books and dumped the diaper supplies out of the bag. Tony heard the noise of the bag being quickly emptied and he whipped around. "No, Seth!" he said, hurrying over to the boy./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Seth froze and his eyes shot up towards the adult, very wide and he was clearly frightened. Seth dropped the bag and let his arms go to his sides as he stared up at Tony. The billionaire sighed and stood next to the boy. "You shouldn't dump out all of that. Now we have to put it all back." Tony was trying to be gentle, he really was./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Seth looked ready to cry. "Sowwy," he mumbled. "Wan to draw…"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Tony kneeled down next to Seth and looked into the bag, then smiled. "Good digging, kid," he said, "you found it." He reached in and pulled out a pad of paper and a box of various coloring supplies. "Eh, it's okay; we were going to have to empty the bag at some point."/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Seth smiled and sat down on the floor as Tony handed the boy the pad of paper. Seth ripped off the first page and held it out towards Stark. Tony stared at it for a moment in silence. "Draw wif me!" Seth insisted./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Tony's eyes widened slightly. "Oh…you want me to draw with you?" Seth nodded enthusiastically. "Well, I don't know what to draw." Seth didn't hear the man's comment since he was already getting to work on his picture. Tony pulled a face but eventually began to slowly work on a simple stick figure./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"After twenty minutes of intense doodling, Stark was laying on his stomach, drawing a tree with a swing while Seth was hiding his fourth picture from him. Seth grinned and held up his newest picture. Tony looked at it and he stopped short, a lump in his throat. He tried to put on a smile. "What's that, kiddo?" he questioned./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Seth pointed at the arc reactor in Tony's chest. "Dat," the child replied simply./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"The drawing wasn't half bad for a near two year old – it was recognizable enough. Tony figured that was the reason Seth had been staring at his chest so much. "That's a great drawing," Tony complimented. He added a few more strokes on his tree and held it up to show the boy. "Do you like my drawing?" Seth nodded vigorously as he examined the paper with all three coloring utensils: crayon, pencil, and marker./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Tony paused, noticing something was off. He scrunched up his face and looked at Seth. Seth looked up from his newest piece of paper and stared back at the adult. "JARVIS?"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Yes, sir?"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Get Barton in here."/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"After a moment's pause, JARVIS responded. "He is on his way now."/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Thanks." Tony stood up and brushed himself off. He looked towards Seth and smiled at him. "Someone will be right here, okay, kid?" After these words, Tony left the room./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"JARVIS had told Clint that he was 'requested in the living room.' With a sigh, Clint knew he would be stuck watching over Seth again. Honestly, he didn't really mind, but it would be nice if the others took a stab at it./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Clint entered the living room and saw no one but Seth, who was sitting on the floor with a crayon in his hand and various papers, pencils, markers, and crayons scattered about him. Clint looked around and stepped closer to the boy. "Is it just you?" Clint asked. Seth blinked at the archer and Clint decided to elaborate. "Are you the only one here?" Seth briefly nodded before going back to his crayon and piece of paper./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Clint sat on the couch behind Seth and watched the kid work on his drawing. What was he needed for? Did Tony just decide to leave Clint to the babysitting? Seth turned towards him and whimpered, holding up his arms. "Up?" Seth asked. He then realized he made a mistake, then quickly added an adorable: "Pwease?"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Clint reached down and picked him up, setting him on his lap. That was when Clint noticed what Tony had noticed. There was an awful – but identifiable – smell coming from Seth. Clint made a face before glaring at the doorway. "emSTARK/em!"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"It was during dinner – pizza, respectively – when the puzzles Tony had ordered arrived. Seth finished up his tiny slice of pizza as quickly as he could before climbing out of his booster seat to go do the puzzles. "Hold on, buddy," said Bruce, "you should get cleaned up first." Seth pulled a face, but walked over to the scientist nonetheless. Bruce glanced at the others, but they all gave him the same look, that said: 'You brought it up, so you get to do it.'/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Baf?" Seth questioned./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Banner nodded. "Yeah, you're gonna need a bath."/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""This early?" Clint asked./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Do you want to do it?" Tony asked. Clint immediately shut his mouth./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Baf!" Seth said with a grin./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Okay, buddy, let's give you a bath."/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Bruce and Seth walked down the hall and the others were left at the table. Natasha glanced over at Clint, who hadn't eaten a single slice of pizza. "You okay?" she asked./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Clint looked up from his plate. "I changed a diaper for the first time, okay? Cut me some slack." Tony snickered and Clint glared at him. "You're doing it next time, Stark."/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""I second that motion," Natasha said with a smirk./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Crap…" Tony said./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Literally," Clint muttered./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Real mature, Barton," Natasha added./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"That evening, Seth was sitting in front of the last puzzle, putting it together with some assistance from Natasha. The others were scattered throughout the living room doing their own various tasks. Seth rubbed his eyes with his fists and blinked. Natasha looked up from the puzzle they were doing and examined Seth. "Are you tired, sweetie?"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"The other Avengers froze and turned to stare at the assassin. Natasha…embeing loving/em?/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Seth nodded and rubbed his eyes again. "Alright, let's get you to bed, then." Natasha stood and bent down to pick up the boy. Seth clung to her as they walked down the hallway to Seth's room for the next month. Natasha set him down in the play pen (or as Stark called it, the baby cage) and Seth looked up at Nat. Nat turned to leave, but Seth instantly began crying. Natasha turned back around and Seth stopped, pointing at the bag his parents had brought with him that morning./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Natasha picked up the bag and began rummaging through it. Near the bottom she found a stuffed green and brown turtle. She pulled it out and showed it to Seth, who grinned and reached up towards it. Natasha gave it to the child and he held it close. Nat smiled at the action. "Does he have a name?" she asked. Seth shook his head and Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Every good turtle needs a name." Seth looked down at the stuffed animal in his arms and stared at it./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Natasha smiled and turned to leave again when Seth began crying once more. Natasha was angry for a split second, but turned back to Seth. "What is it?" she asked kindly./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Sig," he said. Natasha didn't know what he meant by that. "Sig!" Seth insisted./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Sorry, sweetie," Nat said, "I don't know what you mean."/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Mama sigs!"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Then it clicked. "Oh," Natasha said slowly, "your mama sings?"/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Seth nodded quickly. Natasha couldn't help but feel some frustration towards Parker. Why did she have to make things difficult. Natasha sighed. "Okay…I can do that."/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"So she did./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"It was a Russian lullaby she had learned not long after leaving the red room. She had never sung it to anyone before, she had merely found herself humming it on occasion. The song worked wonders; Seth was out right before she finished./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"Natasha's eyes made their way up to the ceiling. "JARVIS, erase all of that," she ordered. "If anyone finds it, ever, I will have your circuit boards on my mantlepiece."/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""I have just deleted the last two minutes of footage from this room."/div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);""Thank you." Natasha turned on her heel and walked towards the door before looking back at Seth and smiling. She then exited the room./div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);" /div  
div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);"strongA/N There's a pretty long chapter for you :) If you ever have any suggestions or ideas, I'd love to hear them!/strong/div 


	3. Park Day

3: Park Day

 **I'm so sorry for not updating! I went on a hiking/camping trip across a mountain range, then I had extreme writer's block, then starting focussing on my YouTube channel, then school started, then I auditioned for two shows (one I'm taking to AHSTF)…Well, now that I'm back I have a chapter for you ;)**

 **Chapter Warnings: None**

It was day three when Parker and Steve called. Tony had organized a video chat on the TV so they could all see the message. Bruce brought Seth into the living room after it was set up and Seth grinned happily. "Mama! Papa!" He began squirming in the scientist's grip and Bruce put him down, letting the boy run over to the TV.

 _"Hey, honey!"_ said Parker. _"Are you being good for everyone?"_

Seth nodded. "Miss you," he said softly.

 _"Oh, I miss you too, sweetie. But you have to keep being good for the others, okay?"_

Seth nodded. "Otay."

 _"What have you done so far, Buddy?"_ Steve asked.

"I drawed, did a puzza, and build wiff Legos!"

 _"That's great!"_ his father said. _"Are you having fun?"_ Seth nodded enthusiastically. _"Good. Are the others taking good care of you?"_ Seth nodded once again. Steve smiled and looked at the others. _"Any word from Thor?"_ he asked.

Natasha shook her head. "Not yet, but it's, really, only a one way connection. He'll come when he comes."

Steve nodded. "Papa!" said Seth. Steve's eyes fell on his son. "Look!" Seth held up a crayon drawing of a turtle.

 _"That's great, Seth!"_ he praised with a grin.

 _"What else did you draw?"_ Parker asked. Seth sat down and began showing his parents each one of his pictures and giving them a mostly unintelligible summary of what they each were of. Eventually, Seth ended up on the couch, drawing more new pictures as the Avengers discussed the current situation.

 _"Well, being undercover isn't too bad,"_ said Steve. _"We're in England right now, suburbs just outside of London. Supposedly there's an AIM base around here and we're trying to find it without raising any red flags."_

"Any estimated time on that?" Clint asked.

Steve shook his head. _"No, so far we don't have anything."_

 _"I just hope it really only does take a month,"_ Parker said with a sigh. _"I miss my baby."_ She shrugged. _"So how are things over there?"_

"Not bad," said Bruce, "Seth's been pretty good about all of this. He was talking about how he missed you last night, so good timing on the call."

 _"Did you buy him Legos?"_ Steve asked.

Tony nodded. "Yeah, I did. What kind of kid doesn't have any Legos?"

 _"We do have Legos,"_ said Parker, _"they're at the apartment. And they're bigger ones too."_

"Don't worry," said Stark, "I got the big ones. I know what choking hazards are."

Parker breathed out a sigh of relief. _"Good."_

"I may have also gotten him some new puzzles too."

Steve groaned. _"Stark, are you spoiling my son?"_

"…Maybe…"

Parker chuckled. _"Alright, well don't drain out the toy industry. Keep in mind that anything you buy we're probably going to have to take back home; and I don't think we have a whole lot of extra room for any more toys."_ Her phone beeped and she took a look at it. _"Well, we've gotta go,"_ she said. _"Seth, sweetie?"_ Seth looked up from his paper _. "Mama and Papa have to go now. We'll talk again soon, okay?"_

"Otay. Wove you."

 _"We love you too, sweetie. Bye-Bye."_

"Bye-Bye."

The TV turned off and Seth stared at it for a bit longer before going back to his drawing. He finished and looked out the window longingly. The others noticed. "Do you want to go outside?" Natasha asked. Seth nodded. "How about we go to the park?" The child grinned. "And Stark will go with you," she said, turning to look at the billionaire.

Tony looked like a deer in the headlights. "Wait, what? Why can't you take him?"

"Fury needs to see Clint and I," Natasha said, "so we'll be gone for the next hour."

"Wh…What? You can't leave! That's not fair!"

"You aren't to tell the kid he can't go to the park, are you?" Clint asked smugly.

Tony grumbled something under his breath. "Fine."

"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"

Tony had JARVIS locate the nearest playground suitable for Seth's age and took Seth out to play. Seth sat at the top of a slide as Tony sat on a bench, keeping the kid within his eyesight but was texting Pepper about his current situation. She poked fun at him for a bit before telling him she would help out when she got back to the tower later that night.

Tony looked up when he heard Seth talking. "Catch me!" Seth was sitting at the top of a slide with a grin.

"You can slide down on your own," Tony said, "you'll be fine."

Seth's face fell. "Hafta catch me…" he said, sad at the rejection.

Tony sighed and looked around. Luckily for him, they were the only ones in the park. Tony stood up and walked over to the slide Seth was on and kneeled down in front of it. Darn that kid and his ability to twist people around his chubby, little, child finger. "Okay, kid, I'm ready." Seth smiled and pushed himself down the slide. He stopped right before he got to the billionaire, which only made Tony want to roll his eyes. The slides were designed so the kids wouldn't fly off – he didn't need to catch him. Nonetheless, Stark didn't want an upset, mini, super-soldier-to-be on his hands, so he slid his hands underneath Seth's arms right after the kid came to a stop. "Gotcha!" he said. Seth giggled and clambered off the slide.

"Again!"

This process went on for another half an hour before Seth was too exhausted to climb up the steps any more and Tony could see the tiredness in the boy's expression. "Tell you what," said Tony, "we'll go get some ice cream and head on back to the tower." Seth perked up at the mention of a treat. "How does that sound?" Seth nodded and held up his arms. A bit reluctantly, Tony picked the boy up, walking back to the car.

After a quick drive, the duo stopped outside of a Cold Stone and went in to get some ice cream. Tony got mint and chip and Seth got chocolate with sprinkles. The two of them sat outside on the patio and watched the cars pass by when a woman with two young kids at her heels. She stopped when she saw Tony and the genius decided to ignore her. Her eyes flickered between the two and she opened her mouth, much to Tony's dismay. "Tony Stark?"

"The one and only," he said, looking up at her from the table. Seth ignored the interaction and continued eating.

"Is that your son?" she asked.

Tony's eyes widened slightly and he glanced at Seth. "What? No," he said quickly, "no, he's not. He's my nephew – not biologically – but he's Captain America's son, so like family, I guess." Seth looked up at Tony as he continued to eat his treat.

The woman smiled. "Well…I was unaware that Captain America had any children." She shrugged. "It was nice to meet you."

Tony nodded towards her and the woman walked inside of the building. 'Crap,' he thought, 'did Cap even tell people he had a kid?'

"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"

When Tony pulled into the garage of the tower, he got out and went to open the door on Seth's side. Tony opened the door to find the boy sound asleep with the bottom of an ice cream cone in his hand. Tony pulled a face – he didn't want to clean the car. As gingerly as he could so he wouldn't wake Seth up, Tony unbuckled him from the carseat and picked up the slumbering boy, carrying him into the tower.

When Stark walked out of the elevator, he was greeted by the others, who stared at Seth. Natasha stood up and walked over to him, taking Seth from his arms. She noticed the portion of a cone in the child's hand and she gently took it. She examined it before glancing at Tony with a raised eyebrow. "You gave him ice cream?" she asked.

"Yeah," said Tony, "he wore himself out at the park. Plus, he hasn't had single treat the whole time he's been here."

Natasha sighed. "Do you remember what Steve said about Seth and dairy products?" Tony shrugged, avoiding answering. "Stark, Seth is lactose intolerant." Tony slowly nodded and Natasha smirked. "Well, I guess it's only fitting that you pay for you idiocy. You have diaper duty tomorrow." She walked Seth down the hall and Tony stood in shock.

Clint snickered from the couch and Bruce couldn't help but crack a smile. "That's not fair," Tony said. "You do realize that's absolutely cruel."

"Well, you didn't listen to Steve," Bruce said with a shrug.

Tony threw his hands in the air. "Really? I thought you were on my side." He groaned and plopped down onto the couch. "How can he even be lactose intolerant, he has a portion of the serum in him." Tony sighed. "I was just trying to be nice…" he grumbled .

After a few minutes, Natasha returned and sat on one of the couches. "I'm not sure if a nap at this time is good for him," she said. "He could be up all night."

"What harm could a nap do?" Clint asked. "More rest, right? Isn't it supposed to be good for kids to sleep more?"

Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Say that again at ten o'clock tonight."

"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"*(-.-)*"

At ten that night, Seth was whinier than ever before. He refused to go to bed, insisting he wasn't tired. He was completely wound up, running away from everyone that would try to put him in his room. After fifteen more minutes of struggle, Seth had worn himself out, and Bruce found him sound asleep behind a couch.

After putting him to bed, the others gathered in the living room when they heard the elevator slide open. Pepper stepped out and took one look at the room before smiling. "So how have things been here?" she asked.

Tony rushed up to Pepper, shushing her. "We just got him to go to sleep," he said tiredly.

Pepper looked up at the clock and raised an eyebrow. "You just did?"

"Trust me," said Clint, "this is the first night he's been this difficult. It's Stark's fault, really."

Tony looked insulted. "My fault? How is it my fault? It's not like I made him run around the park until he dropped. He did that on his own."

"Did he have a nap at the wrong time of day?" she asked, looking towards Bruce.

He nodded, confirming her suspicions. "Yes. And Tony gave him ice cream, even though he's lactose intolerant."

Tony raised his hands in defense. "Hey, I didn't know."

"Because you didn't listen," Natasha reminded.

Tony turned around and looked at the others. "Why are you all ganging up on me?"

"Well, you got him to bed," said Pepper, "that's the important thing."


End file.
